Echo
by ScrapsCats
Summary: Echo has never had an easy life. She has been living in the streets for as long as she remembers. When Master Niklaren Goldeye finds her, she plans to travel with him to Winding Circle, but when the Great Mother Goddess pulls her into Tortall, she has to adapt and change to her new environment if she wants to survive. T for some violence
1. Chapter 1

**So, Echo takes place before Protector of The Small but after The Immortals.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything except any OCs and the plot.**

 **Chapter 1: Echo**

A small hand dips in and out of a purse. Pulling out a handful of coins, the person cradles the coins in two small hands. Darting back into the alley, the pickpocket slips the coins into a small pouch around her neck. The little pouch is then tucked into the neck of the person's ratty, too-big tunic.

Running back towards the lakefront, the thief keeps to the back alleys. When she reaches the lake, she heads towards a small shack. Opening the door, she walks into a dusty room with a single trapdoor in the corner. The thief opens the trapdoor and jumps down onto a little wooden platform. She closes the trapdoor and slides down a rope to the Sharktooth gang's den.

The room that she is in has a clear white light coming from small egg-shaped rocks in each corner of the room. The light shows the thief's face, which is still slightly round with baby fat, but thin from lack of food. She looks to be only about nine summers. Her eyes are dark blue-green, with bags under them from lack of sleep and long lashes framing them. Her hair is ebony with streaks of auburn in it. It's cut at her earlobes except for a single hands-width braid going from her crown down to her waist. She is wearing a battered gray tunic much too big for her, black breeches, and a silver scarf tied around her waist. There are knives strapped to her forearms and her thighs, and one hanging off her belt.

She opens the pouch around her neck and pours the coins into her palm. There are nine silvers. The girl dumps the coins back into her pouch and calls, "Nine silvers! We will have a feast tonight!"

All of the other people in the room cheer and crowd around the girl. One girl calls, "Jinx for Echo!"

There are shouts of agreement from around the other Sharktooth urchins, and Echo is herded over to a door in the corner of the room. The lucky pickpocket pushes open the door and slips in, closing the door behind her.

The room is small, with an oak chest sitting against a wall. Echo opens the chest, which holds all of the items that the little group had gotten, either from foraging or thieving. Rummaging through the chest, she finally decides on a small bag of hairpins. She closes the chest and walks back out to the main room after tucking the bag into her sash.

She is greeted by four others in the den. One is Vixen, a fiery-tempered runner with her red hair cut and braided like Echo's. The second is Bee, a short, easy-going little lockpicker with her braid only reaching her elbows. Another is Robin, a tall, muscled boy of almost fourteen, with his hair braided like Echo and Vixen's. Last, there is a scavenger named Holly, who is about Echo's age, with her golden braid hardly past her shoulders.

Echo shows them her jinx and then heads back up the rope and onto the platform. She climbs back through the trapdoor and walks out of the shack, heading over to the town near the lake.

At the town's market, Echo walks over to the baker's stall and spends a silver marong on a basket of rolls big enough for the whole of the gang. Another silver marong pays for a basket of apples with enough for everyone. Echo pays two silver marongs for thread and cloth, and three more for bandages and healing salves.

When she reaches the den once more, Echo gives everybody two rolls and an apple. They all dig into the food ravenously, and Echo heads into a corner underneath the stone light. She pulls out the cloth and thread, and starts to make a new tunic for herself. When she finally finishes the tunic, she folds it and puts it in a little box next to her nightroll. The bandages and healing salves go into a healing kit next to the box, and Echo puts the baskets in the corner before climbing into her bedroll.

* * *

 **This was more of an introduction than anything else. It gets better later, I promise!**


	2. Chapter 2

**This isn't the best chapter, but please don't give up on me!**

 **Disclaimer: I'm not Tamora Pierce**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Trial**

The next morning, Echo wakes up and changes quickly, and then pours the hairpins into her palm. There are only eleven of them, but Echo carefully puts a small decoration on each of them. When she's finished, she chooses one with three hawk feathers on it to slide into the top of her braid.

She stands up and puts the other pins back in the bag, then reties her sash before strapping on her knives and tucking the bag of pins into her pouch again, also slipping three packets of healing salve and a roll of bandages in a bag. Absentmindedly, she rubs the X on her left hand, then makes her way out of the Sharktooth den and into the already crowded streets of Nanta.

The other street urchins steer clear of her, knowing what her hair and clothes mean; She's part of the most successful and respected (in the gutter society) gang.

She successfully nicks two small handfuls of coins off of lazy merchants, but as she tries to take one from a rich, fat man, a Street Guard grabs her wrist painfully. She cries out and tries to pull away, but the Guardsman keeps a firm grip on her. When he notices that he's hurting her, he moves his grip from her wrist to her upper arm, allowing Echo to cradle her wrist as she bites back tears of pain.

The Guardsman leads her to the holding cell again, and when he pushes her in, he is more gentle than the other guards were on her last two visits. Alone in the cell, Echo pulls out the roll of bandages and wraps it around her wrist. She pulls herself into the smallest ball she can and drifts off to sleep.

On Firesday, Echo and the other double-X children are loaded into a cart and driven to Hajra to get judged by the magistrate.

They are thrown in a holding cell, and once more Echo is handled by the kinder guard, only getting nudged into the cell instead of shoved to the ground. She casts a small smile at the guard and then walks in, knowing that he wouldn't be so kind if she ran. A corner of the cell is covered in moss, and Echo walks over to it, laying down on the soft plant and trying to stop her shivers.

Not long after, a group of boys a little older than Echo are shoved in, and one walks over to the moss. The kind guard tosses in a bundle of blankets, and Echo scrambles to get one. The other urchins keep out of her way, recognizing her as a Sharktooth. She gets a blanket large enough for two people and brings it back over to her corner, wrapping it around herself and settling down again, pulling her knees into her chest and becoming as small as possible. When she notices the older boy's shivers, she silently nudges him with her knee and offers him one side of the blanket.

The two lean against the wall until their shivers stop. Echo looks at the boy. "Name's Echo, of the Sharktooth gang in Nanta."

"Roach, from the Thief-Lord's Lightnings," Roach said. Echo wrinkles her nose.

"Why do you keep that name?" she asks, turning her blue-green eyes on Roach.

"I ain't got a death wish," Roach says. "You don't argue with the Thief-Lord."

Echo nods, understanding. "You got double Xs too?" she asks, showing Roach her hands. The bandage covers half of one X, but Echo knows that Roach will understand. In response, Roach shows her his own hands, each with an X.

As the others in the cell scramble for the slop that passes for food, Echo pulls out a small loaf of bread and breaks it in half, handing one piece to Roach as he whispers something to the moss. Echo decides not to bother him about it, especially since she does the same thing with with animals.

"Where'd you get this?" Roach whispers to her.

"One of the guards back at Nanta was nice. He gave me a few of these."

Roach nods and devours it. Despite the fact that the next day she will be sentenced to what will probably be a slow death, she sleeps well.

When Echo wakes, she finds Roach already awake, and she pushes the blanket off. One of the guards at the door calls, "Weevil. Dancer. Alleycat. Viper. Slug." At this, Echo hears Roach hiss quietly. "Cheater. Turtle. Roach. Ace. Pip. Echo."

The eleven that he calls stand, and Echo looks around to see that she is the youngest with two Xs, and the only girl. The one of the other guards at the door is the nice guard, so Echo starts toward the door with the others, her chin raised defiantly. Suddenly, a whip cracks right next to her, and she flinches away from it.

In the Judging Chamber, Echo is guided firmly to the back by the kind guard. She looks up at him and mouths What is your name?

He glances around, gives her a tiny smile, and whispers, "Kerem Bishai."

As the testimony is given, Kerem keeps a hand around Echo's arm. Echo doesn't pay attention until Roach is called up. He fights the guards, but his only reward is getting his hands slammed on the table with even more force.

"Docks," the woman announces, yawning.

The guards start dragging Roach to the pen, but a light male voice says, "A moment." The way he says it makes it a command more than a request. The guards look back. "May I see the boy again?"

"Bring him." The magistrate sounds bored. Roach is hauled back to stand in front of the man, and Echo studies him critically. His clothes are expensive and elegant, so he is wealthy, but his belt holds only a knife, so he isn't an officer. A Money-Bag, then. Someone who wears power without trying.

The man studies Roach, then nods and whispers something to the magistrate, who makes a face. The Bag holds something in front of her, and she glares at Roach but nods. "Their majesties are inclined to mercy, as you are but a youth." She rattles it off quickly, glaring at Roach the whole time. "You have a choice- the docks, or exile from Sotat and service-" She falters, and the Bag leans down to whisper to her.

"You have a choice of the docks, or apprenticeship to the Winding Circle Temple in Emelan, until you take formal vows at the temple, or until its governing council rules that you are fit to enter society. Temple or docks, boy. Choose."

Without hesitation, Roach replies, "Temple."

"Make out transfer papers," she tells a clerk. "Master Niklaren" -this is the man- "will you take charge of him?"

"Of course."

"I can't make out papers for a 'Roach'" the clerk whines. "Not to a temple."

"This is a chance, lad," Niklaren says in his light voice. "You can pick a name, one that's yours alone. You can choose how you will be seen from now on."

"Choose, boy, and hurry up," the judge snaps. "I've other cases besides yours."

Roach studies his hands. Suddenly, he looks up at Niklaren.

"What's them vines with needles on them? Big, sharp ones that rip chunks out when you grab 'em?"

"Roses. Briars," Niklaren says, smiling.

"Briar, then," Roach/Briar says.

"You need a last name," the clerk says, rolling his eyes.

Roach/Briar gets a slightly puzzled look, but says, "Moss."

"Briar Moss," the clerk says. "Master Niko, I'll need your signature."

Echo frowns in thought. 'Master' is a word for professors, judges, and wizards. Who is this man who just saved Briar?

"Cut him loose," Niko orders the guards next to Briar.

"Pardon, sir, but you don't know what he's like," growls one of the guards. "He's born and bred to vice-"

"Are those remarks addressed to me?" he asks coolly, his black eyes cutting into the man. The guard goes white as milk, and his partner cuts Briar loose.

"That's Roger," Kerem mutters to me. "He's never nice."

"Briar won't run," Master Niko says pleasantly. "Will you, lad?"

Echo tunes out again until Kerem tugs her arm, and she allows him to guide her up to magistrate. He puts her hands on the table, raising an eyebrow at her when he sees the bandages. The small girl looks up at him, her doe eyes wide and innocent. Kerem's mouth twitches up in amusement.

"Mines," the judge says, and Kerem starts leading Echo to the pen, but Master Niko halts them again.

 **Kerem's POV**

When Master Niko stops him, Kerem feels a touch of hope. Echo seems like a wonderful girl with bad luck. As the two turn around, he feels a twinge of longing as he sees a light of hope appearing in Echo's blue-green eyes, so much like his daughter's.

"May I see her again?" he asks, and Kerem gently guides her over to him. Again, Master Niko whispers to the magistrate, and again she offers Echo a choice between the mines and the temple.

"Temple," the girl answers.

"Master Niklaren, will you also take charge of her?" the judge asks, even though she already knows the answer.

"Of course."

"You need a last name," the clerk says, and Echo tilts her head, then glances back at Kerem, meeting his gaze for a moment before looking back at the clerk.

"Bishai," she says, and a small smile forms on Kerem's face. Something about the small girl touches Kerem, and the fact that she wants his last name for her own warms his heart. Kerem isn't worried about his name getting recognized because he kept it to himself.

Master Niko signs the papers, and looks at Kerem. "Cut her free," he orders, and Kerem starts untying the bonds happily, smiling at Echo, who returns the smile with happiness shining in her eyes.

* * *

 **You will see Kerem again later in the story, I promise. Review because it makes me feel all fuzzy inside.**


	3. Chapter 3

**This is a bit of a filler chapter, because the real action starts next chapter.**

 **Chapter 3: Songbird**

Echo's POV

The first day out of Hajra, the three companions slept with a Trader caravan, and the second, they stop at a small inn. Echo is putting her few things in the drawers when she hears Niko call, "Echo, come in here."

Unsuspecting, she sticks her head in the room and is brought up short by the sight of a steaming tub of water. She stares incredulously at Niko, who smiles pleasantly. "Hop in. The innkeeper says you won't be sleeping in one of her beds until you have a bath."

"I ain't crazy," she says flatly. "Mayhap you wouldn't be so bony if you stopped doing those all the time." She glances around the room, her gaze lingering on the pile of books beside the bed wistfully, before starting to withdraw into her own room again, just to be brought up short by Niko as he holds up a small leatherbound book.

"I'll teach you to read," he says. Echo looks up at him with wide eyes.

"Really?" she says, her voice filled with hope. She had always wanted to read, but it's hard to get an education as a street rat. Niko nods, and Echo steps back into the room. "I'll be down after I finish." Niko smiles and leaves the room. Echo checks that the doors are locked before stripping down and slipping into the warm water.

She scrubs off until the water is murky with dirt, then climbs out and wraps a towel around herself. She dries off and climbs into the clothes that are set out next to the tub. They fit perfectly, and she ties her silver scarf on around her waist. Her silky black hair is hanging loose, so she braids the long section and wraps it around her head like a crown.

She straps on all of her knives and tosses her dirty clothes back in her room, and ignores the boots, suspecting that they'll be too big.

Downstairs, she finds Niko and sits next to him. He hands her the book, which, when she opens it, is empty. She looks up at Niko in confusion. "What…"

"It's a journal. You can record your thoughts in it once you can write. Your first lesson will be after we eat. First, I need to go get Briar to take his bath."

Echo makes a noise of agreement and walks up the stairs to her room again, finding a small pile of books next to her bed. She smiles happily. I'll be able to read those soon.

She stretches out on her bed and fiddles with the pommel of one of her knives. A shout comes from Niko's room, and Echo topples out of her bed with a shriek. Niko sticks his head through the door.

"Are you alright?" he inquires. Echo sits up, rubbing the back of her head.

"I think so. Who is that?"

Niko's black eyes crinkle. "Briar."

She raises an eyebrow. "Bath?"

The view over Niko's shoulder gives Echo a clear view of three big men struggling to keep a sopping Briar in the tub. She grins in amusement, and Niko withdraws into the room. The cursing continues for more than eight minutes straight, and the girl who is listening in clearly distinguishes five languages.

When they finally finish, Niko sticks his head into Echo's room. "We're going downstairs to eat now," he informs her. She jumps up and follows the two males down the stairs and to the supper table. Echo seats herself down in one of the chairs, pulling her feet beneath her and slouching down.

"Soon as we're out of Sotat, me'n you part ways," Briar says, sitting next to her. "Even the Street Guard only tortures folk when they'd done something."

"You'll do as you wish, of course," Niko replies, sitting. "Beef or chicken?"

"Both. And some of that yellow cheese," Briar says.

"Chicken and one of the green apples," Echo adds, filling her plate.

"It just seems a pity," Niko says, with the polite look of someone who is about to bribe a person. He draws a handful of dry leaves out of a pocket of his over-robe. "These fell out of your robes. This," he taps a small green plant with a delicate purple flower, "I believe, is thyme. I don't recognise the others."

"This is butterfly weed, I think," Echo says, touching a bright red-orange flower. "This is lavender."

"What's a pity?" Briar asks through a mouthful of beef. His face reddens as he sees the plants.

"Winding Circle Temple has the finest gardens- and gardeners- north of the Pebbled Sea. People who know more than plants than I from all over the world." He cuts a small piece of fish and chews it. After he swallows, he adds, "It's also one of the two great schools of magic north of the Pebbled Sea. I studied a Lightsbridge, the university for mages, but in some ways I find the mages at Winding Circle more… open-minded."

"Oh, magic," Briar says. "Who cares?"

"I would guess the mages care quite a bit," Echo puts in dryly. "One of the gang was found by a magic-sniffer years before I entered the gang. She was named… umm, Henna, I think. The magic-sniffer brought her to Winding Circle."

"I believe that there has been a dedicate at Winding Circle who has been able to grow vegetables and fruit- even trees- inside a glass building." He doesn't even look away from the view out the window as he adds, "And there is a library four floors high, with more than a hundred thousand books in it, on any subject you could want."

Echo's eyes widen in amazement. She tried to imagine what such a library would even look like. She couldn't. If she hadn't already been set on staying with the man for her reading lessons, that would have been all it took to get her hooked.

"And anyone can go in there?" she asks Niko. A small smile appears on his face.

"Anyone at all," he affirms. Echo looks down at her plate and scrapes the last bit off before settling back in her chair.

Maybe this won't be so bad, she thinks. If I really can see this library…

* * *

Echo's eyes snap open, and she sits up, sighing. Knowing that she won't be able to sleep, she grabs a blanket and wraps it around herself, then walks downstairs to the deserted room. She pads out the door quietly and leans on the thick wooden post. A nightingale is perched on a tree branch, and it is watching her, not with alarm, but with curiosity. It coos softly, and Echo whistles a soft song that she had heard from others of his kind.

It flies down and perches on a rail, then gently pecks one of Echo's fingers, making her giggle. "Hello, little one," she says quietly.

Good fly-time, Flock-Sister, a high, male voice greets in her head.

"I'm Echo," she says, knowing that the voice is the bird's.

And I am Moonwing, he replies. Echo faces the forest on a sudden impulse and starts to sing.

 _"Baby blue staring in the window pane_

 _Just counting drops of rain_

 _Wondering if she's got the guts to take it_

 _Running down her dreams in a dirty dress,_

 _Now her heart's a mess_

 _Praying she will find a way to make it_

 _So keep on climbing, though the ground might shake_

 _Just keep on reaching though the limb might break_

 _We've come this far, don't you be scared now_

 _Cause you can learn to fly on the way down_

 _Searching for a sign in the night even like a lonely string of lights_

 _That'll burn just long enough for you to see it_

 _The road's been long and lonely and you feel like giving up_

 _There's more to this than just the breath you're breathing_

 _So keep on climbing, though the ground might shake_

 _Just keep on reaching though the limb might break_

 _We've come this far, don't you be scared now_

 _Cause you can learn to fly on the way down_

 _On the way down_

 _You won't forget the heavy steps it took to let it go_

 _Close your eyes, count to ten, hold your breath and fly_

 _Keep on climbing, though the ground might shake_

 _Just keep on reaching though the limb might break_

 _We've come this far, don't you be scared now_

 _Cause you can learn to fly on the way down_

 _Oh-oh, oh-oh_

 _Fly_

 _Fly"_

She finishes the song, and Moonwing flutters his wings in approval. He hops onto Echo's wrist and up her arm onto her shoulder. He nips her ear and suddenly flutters back onto the branch, croaking in alarm. Echo turns around to find Niko standing in the door. She blinks up at him, then turns back and whistles a calming note, and Moonwing flies back onto her shoulder.

Niko's POV

Niko watches Echo with his magical vision. Blazing silver lines begin at her heart and spread out in all directions, the brightness nearly blinding. One very thick one connects to the breast of the bird on her shoulder. She looks at him with her dark blue-green eyes and tilts her head in a silent question.

"I heard you leave your room and I followed you," he replies. "What was that song you sung?"

"Back at Nanta, folk used to sing it during Midsummer's day during the fires at the end. I picked it up."

She falls silent and absently rubs a nasty-looking scar that goes from her temple down her neck, and under her nightgown. She pushes herself upright, making the bird flutter into the branches. It whistles, and Echo echoes it perfectly.

"Where did you get your name?" Niko asks as they walk back into the inn.

"Well, my real name is Evangeline, but since folk didn't like to say it all the time, they nicknamed me Echo because I can echo any animal noise."

She disappears into her room, and Niko walks into his, pondering the problem of Echo Bishai.

* * *

 **Hope this isn't too bad. The song is 'Fly' by Maddie and Tae.**


End file.
